Engine loses power

Tiny
MIK716
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 GMC JIMMY
  • 150,000 MILES
When I am driving my car I will lose power and my gauges will act crazy. It does it 4 or 5 times while I am driving. I have replaced all my o2 sensor, idle air control valve, tps sensor, distributor cap an rotor, ignition coil and ignition control module. I am lost. Any suggestions?
Wednesday, June 12th, 2013 AT 7:16 PM

54 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,916 POSTS
Most likely cause is the generator. They develop huge voltage spikes that destroy the internal diodes and voltage regulator and they interfere with the computer sensor signals. With one bad diode of the six you will only be able to get exactly one third of the rated current and that's not enough to meet the demands of the electrical system under all conditions. It is common to go through four to six replacement generators in the life of the vehicle. To reduce the number of repeat failures, replace the battery at the same time unless it is less than about two years old. As they age they lose their ability to dampen and absorb those spikes.

This guide can help

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-has-low-power-output

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Wednesday, June 12th, 2013 AT 9:48 PM
Tiny
ERIC11011963
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 GMC JIMMY
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 125,000 MILES
When I attempt to accelerate the vehicle won't allow me to press the gas pedal very much. It hesitates and as I left off the gas, I can slowly increase my speed.
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SWILLIAMS
  • MECHANIC
  • 597 POSTS
Sounds like a plugged exhaust. Easy to run a pressure test on it.

Could also be a plugged fuel filter.
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MUSICMANDON
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2000 GMC JIMMY
  • 128,000 MILES
I have a 2000 Jimmy 128k. I loose power & get a miss fire code under load. When I tow up a hill start feeling loss off power. Almost dies. Also happens cold when going up a hill. Changed the obvious (plugs, cap, rotor, also cam & crank sensors) and use only Delco parts
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:34 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Have the fuel pressure checked. You could have a clogged fuel filter affecting the fuel supply resulting in loss of performance.

If the Malfunction Indicator Light is shoiwng, get a scan to cehck for trouble codes.
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:34 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MUSICMANDON
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Checked fuel line, it had some fluxuations. Changed to a Delco fuel filter. First day out up inclune in road (first 10 mins) idoit light on Misfire
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:34 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
What is the trouble code?
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:34 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MUSICMANDON
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
P300 random misfire (90%) cyc 4 10% but I think that was by chance
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:34 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Basics have been covered so you need to go further into diagnostics.
Have you checked the fuel pressure and air filter?
Try cleaning the MAF.
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:34 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WUNS24
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2000 GMC JIMMY
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 170,000 MILES
After warm up, acceleration is choppy, almost choking. If I baby the accelerator, can get it to go. No exhaust problems, new fuel filter, fuel pump 3yrs old, no codes coming up. Replaced injection assembly. This helped somewhat. Still had choppy acceleration after warming, once it was stopped and restarted. All indications when running and diagnostics hooked up show every thing should be ok. Any suggestions? Thank you
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Have you checked for vacuum leaks? Also, even though the fuel pump is 3 years old, you may want to check fuel pump pressure at the fuel rail. You could have too little or a bad regulator and too much.

Let me know.

Joe
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SKY0809
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 GMC JIMMY
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 160,000 MILES
My car keeps losing power brand new battery and the alternator could it be the fule pump. And how do I replace it?
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SWILLIAMS
  • MECHANIC
  • 597 POSTS
How is it losing power? Electrical or engine power?

If it's engine power does it rev freely when you shift to neutral? Does the exhaust note sound the same?
With it in gear and you step on the throttle what does it do?

It could be many things depending on what your answers are.
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SGT_KILROY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 GMC JIMMY
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 145,000 MILES
Engine losses power as I drive down the road RPM will not go up and when they do it feels like I just down shifted and rpms drop as soon as I release the the pedal the rpms go up about 500 to 1000 rpms soon I can not go faster than 5 mph and it starts to back fire if I shut the engine off for a few minutes I can start with no problem and drive for a few minutes till it starts over. Uuu
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Could be one of the following below that's causing it

Oxygen sensor
Catalytic converter
Dirty fuel injectors (cleaning the injectors often fixes this).
Bad MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor
Bad TPS (throttle position) sensor
Bad or dirty MAF (mass airflow) sensor
Low fuel pressure (leaky fuel pressure regulator or weak fuel pump)
Vacuum leaks (intake manifold, vacuum hoses, throttle body, EGR valve)
Bad gasoline (fuel contaminated with water or too much alcohol)

Sometimes, what feels like a hesitation is actually ignition misfire rather than lean misfire. The causes of ignition misfire may include:

Dirty or worn spark plugs
Bad plug wires
Weak ignition coil
Wet plug wires
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
AEM1ERCF
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 GMC JIMMY
  • 210,600 MILES
I'm looking at buying a 98 GMC Jimmy. It has over 210,000 miles on it but well kept. Problem is it won't go over 30 miles per hour. What would be the causes of this? I'm thinking most likely a speed sensor but not really sure. Drives fine until I get up to 30 mph.
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:36 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Scan for codes and check fuel pressure then check vacuum at idle if 15" or below suspect clogged converter.
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-1
Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:36 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HERNANDO024
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1998 GMC JIMMY
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 111,000 MILES
My gmc 98 jimmy has been having some acceleration problems where the rpms will jump up and down when I'm in the top gear? I replaced the throttle position sensor and that didn't really work, not sure what else it could be?
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:36 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
Is the check engine light coming on at all? If not, then it sounds like the transmission may be slipping.
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:36 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HERNANDO024
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
No the check engine light hasnt come on at all. It feels like the rpms only jump up and down when I'm sitting at 40mph?
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Friday, August 16th, 2019 AT 12:36 PM (Merged)

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